Mechanism for playing stringed instruments



' Aug. 9, 1932.- t E. T. ZACHRIS N 1 {(ECHAQISH FOR PLAXING STRINGED INSTRUMENTS v Fileaiprn 18, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 9, 1932. E. T. ZACHRISON 1,871,021

- MECHANISM FOR PLAYING STRINGE D INSTRUMENTS Filed April is, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet g- 1932- E. T. ZACHRISON 1,871,021

MECHANISM FOR PLAYING STRINGED INSTRUMENTS Filed April 18, 1929 4 Sheets-$heet 3 g- 9, 1932- E. T. ZACHRISON 1,871,021

MECHANISM FOR PLAYING STRINGED INSTRUMENTS Filed April 18, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 vm-rwm smum.-- 1

i kECmIsipion rmxma s'ppn veifiafmsmimumwi i I i pre enfi inve tion relat s'tb ammy ingj stringed instruments, and: more in "e e PW d phy g d n rum s;

iiirfiher to piovidee novel system bfTpn'eiiinovel means and mtfllidi bf pielnn f the Referring more partici lliily ffioj the drawii ngs thdnumeril i refers to asiaringed mus'i; cal iiisti'umeiitjsiich as a banjpinjmn dolili," 0i" i,

like, prpyided iwitha plurality f stitings 9 2; The fin tlfl linent shown is: pi pvided with f r s in s al h ui ia sti m w t any} desired number efstring s, ma be played.

order to properly position the instrument i an prov de bbe' f PP T JLPrG a frame 3 having erseries o f yertic ille ridhei ik zqnjtzi-I suppofting members, and a, stand or u P -me esidie in the eo ri- X i mi ppb w'bnsi w eifingeiz ng d e brqked f'arway 1:6; more an y diseloge the ar Fig, 6 is "a; View inweruica lwerijss section" l f fiakelienithe line 6- 6.10f Fig. 1L1 i wl ia rticularlfiq a nqvel eohs'timetionof "the Hieansflndinethqd offautdmilti'callyplaying "6 astringedinstrpmenM matics,

"which is made adjustfscrew 5.

ablelby means f al's nej qnn d to rm? Qr P r Wh-Q Y a d '(gmid which are-adapted to press agziinsta "string at anydeeire d ldeation; lTheOtherend 1 Of these arms oripliin'geruwiresiaire connected t6 the lbweiflpbrtioiigefybase qf; aplurality i bi pneumaigicsfi Theplunger iresfand 7 irezfi ad tvfih i end nd iiir thellngtliflof the i QSQ which in turn allews ufoi' an admstmei fd;thepresslilfeappliedjtg 8 the Strings by the fingering leve fsfir In order to operate thefingermg pieces ii c is ne'cessapy fiOcg liSethe respecp ivepneumatie connected to that paptip'uls r; fingering device i i to operate. This isdone by cz usi ng t he p ieur 8 i i matic 0 collapse by: means of; suction prof compartments 12. Each o fthe compartments wrrhevcpllapsin offthe: w wp e m ic;10W:

therSb riiig to beipipkl d, am

double neumatics; provide tubes ,55, while l jthmligli he tubes hkp wm t M191 fointhq leve arms: 32a

.car of? by reabxlof the spring s 59,. ahd tl re 3,111 passing ?through the; openings 12. ofilthe plate" 20 wheneygr the clizrpl lragm 16 isseated and 52, towyhich are}connectechthetubesor hos 57anc1 58, respectively, WhiClLilS' shown gre connected tQ -thG outlets of the first and. second: pompartme ntsof the upper row in fuhe pneumaticyaction. Inthis operation, the air pass esilurough the pe rfo-ration inj thetracker JQQmI;mhr glw w; or rip a n o; h Dneumatic aqt ion. This unseatsiqhe valvglii ancl allow sisqetiontq-pass f1O11"l:th8,pipQ 22 a tiqnlof phe dqi lbl e pneumatics iritofthe pipe whiqh collapses fthe,,pi1g11- ownw dly- E ch-arm in t rnr rws its Qingec'fn'ing lrqd e p -voted; to

the

instmmnt, whilq the picking mechanism is llMeehanism "61 autematicallyg-playing a stringed in'strument; Comprising} series. f levers for;finge1 ii1gtheistringsflneaiis' for pickingsaidstringg and means-associated j.

' aq fm saidgs ri j'is provided with opemings,1t0"which are atfilstachedtubes qr other mechanism for reyvinds, replayg aetiencutbfl'g'etc. {The speedingiupfof the roll maylbe contrglled'by sucti n oi' by moto'r'drive, s'uchias afliietionbelt orcham.

ftoiies emanatiiig from "said strings.

; '2. ehhnismj for automatically d .stringed instrument, comprisin means fof fifigefing' the strings .of said instrument; means for aetuatiiig said strings, andiii eansj ztsisoeiatedf "with said :Iactuatihg "means }for 'imod'ulatihg the; tone em n ting from said strings; 3- v stringed L instrument; eomp isiiig i .meal s; ier

4. Mechanisin1f( (time:

"7L stringed instrument;{comprising means 'fo r 7 V I ffing'e'rilig' .th'eQ strings of "J said I ins t'mmenm 'jmeans' for actuating said sti'ings, and pneiL' f natieallyv OperEtedQniea is "for modulating the tones {emalnating from Ssltit l"strings,

t '5. In "a: mechanism for automatically play- I ring a stringed iristruineng pic king means, 'therefer ebmprising-a, systemefautomati cal- 11y operated lever al l'ns,;afpi ek 9n one of siaid l lever aims, and; means lf o raisingsaid pick 7 ,toistrike a; string vbri the upstreke' andfor p ev n e mp n t stringdiii ingthedownstreke. -i

ihgestringed; instrument, an eiitometic ally ciperated'leyei arm thifdlf ia pick mounted bn said lever, means vfor-cziusing said pick to v 1 1 1 6 "strike ar string. on the upstreke, and means for I In a, mechanism for autdrhatieeli jplztjfjstringdliri rig the dew flstroke};

pickonvthe downstrokeii a matieally opei'gted iriiegn'sffor;ial singfsaid V wpick tq' strike a; st ihgpithe 'i pstroke ,efthe V T 2 1 nd p fiumqfiiw p a ed a s w strokew V j i i 9I Mechanism for" automaticallyfplaylngfa L stringed instrument, @m rising meansfor withsaidpickingimeai s for"medulatingthe I V tones prbdueedby saidfs tringsg 11. Mechanism for autematiealllyplaying a stringed instrument, comprising means for fingering; th'flstrings f-ofsaidY'instfumenty j fin eri t s r n i 'qfs id 'tjrum k V fmeaiisifr gactugtii g' said prin s, @nd% a1v 1 i 1 m n m so ated' w th"! s id; .tu in "member adapted to .lfaise said armfandljiek t M ,ig ys ig' strumer t,cempl isingfmegmsf0? fingerin -the f 1 strings and mea s fd fpikipg; s-aidstriiigs,

las d Pic n m ansin d i aip ir ofarms 1 "fu m'ed ter ia e-mama fi off e ofsaid arms being prqyided with a piek, and I" Preventing the impactpffsaid piek ensaid impingingria' String strings, and Inieans associated with said arms a V 4 "for mddillaptingtl e tones pi'odiieed by ls a pid Having thusdisclesedmyiiiiventioig O I: r i h strings.-

forgiving expressibiftdtheQtOiiespi pdficedk I A v I V g i ia. tru nt, w p m an ffing n the t n gm an fo k 'n if id tr said picking means ificludiiljglever grms, one of w i pro de wit aikpiqka i a iunge adapted to; failse said le ver I 13d strl'liiieii't', comprising me ns; fei'ifingerifig the L i in s e ifQ ip ki s i i s vsaid pickingmealis including lethal armssfoiie 33105 i il n p i ngjihe n br g m h strings andfmeansfer picking said picking'meafnsincluding t one of which is provided with a; I iGkQ and" a 16. Meehanism for play airi'eilib er on the otheitb s ai g r iaaag g tb i'aise' seidfirst:rf eiitieiie'dgirmidfid k' 3 1 p k n' 'en 'a e en W t g; 177.? Mechanism fo r eutbniatically pld-ynig agstriiiged i istiqlifiiepycompfising means for" "fi eri g'fi trin s id tr m izm v f meansfbr piekingfsaid string's, said picking dil Qal 'is ineludi igapivoted' armbrbvidedwith t 39, Ypick; and a lung r dapted to raise said 3 1 produced. a 5

s. Mechanism means including a pivoted arm provided with a pick, and a plunger adapted to raise said; armand pick for picking the string, and u means adapted to raise said plunger with greater rapidity fer modulating the tones produced.

19; Mechanism forautomatically playingi i i a stringed instrument, comprising meansfor fingering the strings of said instrument,

means for picking said strings, said picking means including apivoted arm provided with a a pickya'nd a. plungeradapted to raise said arm and pick for picking the string, and pneumatically operated means adapted to a i raiselsaid plunger withgreater rapidity for modulating the tones roducedl 7 In Witness whereo {hereunto subscribe a my name to .thisspecification.

NAn r. zAcnnrson;

for automatically playing a stringed instrument, comprising means for i s fingering the strings or said instrument, 1

means for picking said strings, said picking 

